Match Report Bath v Leinster
By David Horner ("Bath Fan Jack")
December 12 2011
A match against the current European Champions in the Heineken Cup, many vocal and friendly supporters, at the Rec just before Christmas – does the billing get any better? Well unfortunately YES. Bath were coming into this massive game off two poor performances and even worse, two bad defeats.
In this tournament a solid win against Montpellier at home and a very frustrating game at Glasgow with a difficult bounce for Bendy (more of bouncing balls later) leading to a try in excess time, meant Bath had to win a game that everybody, and I am sorry to say even the author of this article, thought was most unlikely.
On a cold but mercifully dryish day the scene was set. Bath started out playing towards the Club House end with a strong breeze with a kick off to the right having shaped to go to the left. Banners rose missed the ball and came crashing down on his back, lying prone whilst play moved away. I understand total commitment but it can’t be right putting yourself in a position after 2 seconds where a serious injury might have occurred. This “clever” kick off was used on 4 other occasions with only one positive result. It is rapidly getting to the point where the conventional type of kick off is the unusual approach for Bath.
However to our delight it was clear that the Bath team were very up for the match. Bath pressurised, harried and put Leinster under great pressure. People around me voiced the general mood, “well this is more like it”, “this is better than last week”. Stuart Barnes started to talk about the fact that a result “could turn around the whole season”. The bright and aggressive approach must have pleased Mr Craig, who was caught filling the big screen very impassively before the match. His comment after the Worcester game of “unacceptable” and the Bath Chronicle’s view of “a back to back humiliating exposure of the shortcomings” was starting to look but a distant memory.
However, for all Bath’s pressure and territory, they could not score. Finally in the 11th minute a penalty was awarded in Leinster’s 22 and to great applause for the ambition Barkley drilled it into the corner under the big screen for a line out. Unfortunately Chris Biller, our American emergency recruit as hooker (as an aside what is his residential status?), after presumably only a short orientation, was unable to hit the jumper and the pressure was eased.
From a break out by Sean O’Brien Leinster were clear into our 22 and if he had passed right instead of left Isa Nacewa would have had a gentle run-in to score. This clearly brought the crowd back down to earth with the realisation that this was a very dangerous team who, whilst absorbing a lot of pressure, could score at almost any time.
Following further pressure, and some poor kicking out of hand by Mr Donald and Bendy, neither of whom seemed to notice that the strong breeze blowing down the pitch would take their perfect wind-free high kicks further into the safe hands of the Leinster back three sitting deep anticipating such a move. As an aside, it was disappointing that generally Bath’s kicking from hand was so unproductive with Donald, Barkley, Claassens and Bendy all responsible. All of them probably had one excellent kick. However, at this level the kicks have to be consistently very good otherwise you are merely giving the ball away to the opposition in space.
Finally another penalty was awarded and Barkley stepped up to make it 3 – 0 in the 15th minute.
The next period was one of continued pressure: however, in hindsight it is clear that Leinster, like an “old boxing pro”, was steadily sizing up this young enthusiastic fighter, and whilst all the play was in the Leinster half Bath never really looked like scoring. Memorable moments were a great tackle by Simon Taylor who had a good first half but who seemed to disappear in the second half. Some excellent carries from both the members of the second row, Attwood and Caldwell, the former’s performance only blighted by a couple of very public handling errors.
An incident occurred in the 21st minute when a loose ball was passed down the line and Hipkiss having shovelled the ball on was hit high and “late” by Nacewa. At the time from the open stand it looked horrible: however, on TV later it probably was just about all right. Mr Garces had a reasonable game calling two forward passes on Bath that weren’t and allowing one to go for Leinster which was. However in the modern game with the pace it is played at it is impossible to get everything right.
Bath’s pack at this point had been more in control than almost any match this season and seemed to be very “comfortable” against the large Leinster 8. Bath got themselves back into the red-zone and some strong drives including a terrific charge from Davey Wilson in the 24th minute took Bath to within a yard or two of the line. However a slight element of lack of precision leaving a player isolated and as could be heard Leinster chanting in unison “Release, Release” was too much for Mr Garces to ignore. Lots of honest endeavour and no little skill let down by just one moment of lack of precision/concentration/over excitement.
Bendy, one of my favourite players, notwithstanding some truly unusual bits of play (for unusual read idiotic but with brilliance you always get the other side of the coin), showed in the 32nd minute absolute bravery and commitment to the cause by diving on a 30/70 ball and coming up trumps.
In the 35th minute Bath were again awarded a kickable penalty and Barkley took the score to a well deserved 6 – 0 and this period was described correctly in my view as “By far the best 35 minutes of rugby by Bath all season”.
Recognising the subtle shift that occurred from about 20 minutes into the game Sexton had his first go at goal which he missed and was then given another chance on 39 minutes which he converted and the score at half time was 6 – 3 to Bath. On reflection a poor return for all of the effort, possession and territory.
As an aside it was heartening to hear…absolutely nothing when both Barkley and Sexton were taking kicks and it is a credit to all the supporters wearing blue, some with a bit of black and white and some with gold.
Half time was good with the Monkton Combe senior school Big Band belting out some Christmas Carols, with some mini rugby matches. I would also like to thank whoever is responsible for the sensible half time initiatives/entertainment.
With Bath playing into the strong breeze in the second half accurate kicking from hand was always going to be important and unfortunately the malaise of the first half continued. However Leinster on a couple of occasions did just the right thing which was to kick as high and as far as they could which with the wind gained them some very easy yards. Something Bath did not exploit fully in the first half.
In the 46th minute Sexton made the score 6 – 6. In the 49th minute following a missed kick to touch from a penalty by Barkley, (kicking to touch from a penalty the only thing you have to do is to make touch – distance is an added bonus), Nacewa hoofed the ball downfield where Bendy was too far forward and missed the catch and then got an awkward bounce, again, and this led to Leinster having possession in our 22 - ball goes to O’Brien who then criminally squanders a three man overlap – luckily for Bath!
Two more kicks from Sexton takes the score to 6 – 12 and it is all beginning to slide away from Bath. However in the 64th minute a turnover by the amazing Mr Louw who was captain for the day, led to a further breakdown in midfield with good quick ball firing out to the right to Banners and then Louw drawing his man and passing with “soft hands” to Cuthbert who was tackled short of the line and offloaded to Banners who was not going to be stopped from 5 yards out, 11 – 12. Barkley puts over the conversion for an improbable lead by Bath at 13 – 12. The cheeky chaps at Sky went onto Mr Craig who was looking as impassive as he had been at the beginning of the match with his hands very slowly and gently moving in a clapping motion. In the background Mrs McGeechan was going suitably bonkers as I was in the Open Stand!
It is clear that Mr Louw put everything into this game and by 65 minute probably should have been substituted. His utter commitment and exhaustion contributed to his two errors on 72 minutes and 74 minutes leading to the penalty that took Leinster back into the lead on the 72 minute and his being asked to take a rest with a yellow card. He looked absolutely devastated and done in and is someone I believe we can build a real team around. The penalty count at this point was 10 against Bath and 5 against Leinster which when you take into account the pressure exerted by Bath in the first 40 says a great deal about the discipline and control shown by the Irish.
The end score at 13 – 18 with Bath scoring the only try is probably a score we would all have taken before the game. However after 35 minutes Bath were in a position where they could have won this. The main difference between the teams was Johnny Sexton’s performance for which he received the Man of the Match award for 5 penalties out of 6 and an amazing amount of strong tackling which ensured that his back row, a classy unit anyway, had the extra second to get to the breakdown and slow things up.
I am aware that I have hardly mentioned Mr Donald, another big favourite of mine, who appeared to take a knock in the first half and who appeared to be protecting an injury.
POSITIVES
- Scrum very tight and in control;
- Apart from minutes 72 to 74 Francois Louw’s performance which was amazing;
- Barkley looking like he is making good progress on his return;
- Front row;
- Second Row;
- Attitude and demeanour; and
- Behaviour of crowd on kicks
NEGATIVES
- Poor kicking from hand;
- Poor positional play defending the wind second half; and
- Dozing off on penalty to Nacewa by Sexton
Leinster away next week in front of 45,000 Dubliners is going to be a real test of character, however one that I am sure this team are better able to cope with after yesterday.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:12:15:18:32:51 by Glen The Ed.
